February 12th, 2014 | Posted by nikki in Blog - (Comments Off on Make your own Make Up!)

There are tons of harmful chemicals in your makeup products. We know you already look great, but if you do want to wear makeup, you don’t need to compromise your health to do so. Now you can make all your own beauty products with things you may have in your home or can get from your local health food store. The health and beauty experts at Healthcheck Systems are bringing you a new series on how to have your makeup and enjoy good health too. Here are some lip balm recipes that come from the ebook, Eat My Makeup!

Melt the beeswax and the oil together over low heat in a double boiler. If you don’t have a double boiler, place a metal or glass bowl in a small pot of water. Now add the honey and lavender oil and stir gently. Pour into containers and allow to cool for 20 minutes before use.

Melt beeswax with avocado, almond and coconut oil in a double boiler over low heat. Remove from heat and add essential oil and vitamin E. Stir well and pour into containers. Leave to cool for 20 minutes before you use it.

Get all of the products you and your family need to live a healthy life from Healthcheck Systems. They have products for baby, toys for kids, fitness products for you and health products the whole family can enjoy.

February 12th, 2014 | Posted by nikki in Blog - (Comments Off on Make your own natural Mascara)

If you like to wear makeup, but are concerned about the chemicals it contains and about animal testing, then you are not alone. Many women are turning to natural products and makeup as an alternative that better suits a healthy lifestyle. We think you look great just the way you are, but if you are going to wear makeup, we want you to be safe. That’s why the experts at HealthCheck Systems are bringing you a series on natural beauty products that you can make yourself in your kitchen.

To make your own mascara, you need a few ingredients which you can get from your local health food store (even the charcoal).

1 tsp coconut oil

1 1/2 tsp beeswax

1 tsp shea butter

4 tsp of aloe vera gel

1-2 capsules of activated charcoal

How to make it:

Put the coconut oil, beeswax shea and aloe vera in a small pot and heat very slowly over a very low heat. Stir continuously until all the ingredients have melted. Now take your pot off the stove and add the charcoal. Stir it really well. Use a funnel to pour the liquid into an old mascara tube. Before you reuse the old mascara tube, make sure you have sterilized it by leaving it in hot water.

If you don’t have a funnel, leave the mascara to cool a little, then pour it into a plastic bag. Cut a small hole in the plastic bag and squeeze the liquid into the mascara tube.

This is a great way to enjoy your makeup without the chemicals!

We know you are committed to helping you and your family to live a healthy lifestyle. Now you can get all your health and fitness products from HealthCheck Systems.com.

January 31st, 2014 | Posted by nikki in Blog - (Comments Off on 6 Easy ways to Speed up your Metabolism)

You want to speed up your metabolism because it helps you to access more energy from your food and it also helps to burn more calories in a day. A sluggish metabolic rate will leave you feeling fatigued and will make it extremely difficult to lose weight.

Spice up your life

Chili peppers, jalapenos and other hot pepper varieties contain capsicum which really gets your metabolism going. In fact, your metabolism increases by a whopping 25% after you have enjoyed a spicy meal. This increased metabolic rate lasts for up to 2 hours after a meal. You can add cayenne pepper and chilies to your meals, cayenne pepper to your hot beverages and hot sauce to your sandwiches.

Apple cider vinegar

This mild vinegar also helps to get your motor running. You can enjoy apple cider vinegar on your salads or drink two teaspoons in a cup of warm water twice a day. Can’t stand the taste? You can get apple cider vinegar tablets from your local health food store.

Get moving

Exercise increases your metabolism. You can start with gentle exercises like walking and yoga, but the more aerobic the exercise, the more it improves your metabolism. It’s also important to keep moving throughout the day, so take mini breaks and stretch or walk around.

Cool down

Turn your thermostat down from 21 to 17 degrees. This will help you to burn an extra 300 calories a day. As your body cools, your metabolism kicks in to help warm you up so you can lose weight and save on energy.

Increasing your metabolism and moving more will help you to lose weight too. You can follow your progress on a bathroom scale from Healthcheck Systems. They have the widest selection at the best prices.

January 6th, 2014 | Posted by nikki in Blog - (Comments Off on Are you Overweight? Use the BMI to find your ideal weight)

What is your ideal weight? Don’t look to the unrealistic and healthy examples set by the fashion and beauty industry for inspiration on your ideal weight. Instead you need to find the perfect percentage of body fat to ensure a healthy figure.

Nutrition has a profound effect on your health. If you are getting too few nutrients and not eating enough, you can suffer from kidney problems, bone density issues, poor immunity and premature aging. Eating too many calories can result in obesity which has an equally negative effect on health and results in diabetes, heart disease, cholesterol and blood pressure issues.

You need to find the weight that suits your height and provides you with a healthy, attainable target that you can strive towards. The best way to find the body fat percentage that will result in your idea weight is to utilize the body mass index or BMI.

The BMI index works as follows:

Underweight: Below 18.5

Normal: 18.5-25

Overweight: 25-30

Obese: Above 30

Use calipers to measure you by clamping folds of skin on various places on your body. You can also use bioelectrical impedance which is a more accurate measure of your body fat. Here an electrical current is run through the body and the speed with which is moves indicates the amount of fat in the body. These are a feature on high end bathroom scales.

Once you know your BMI, you can more accurately determine your idea weight using the BMI index below:

January 2nd, 2014 | Posted by nikki in Blog - (Comments Off on Lose That Holiday Weight in Four Easy Steps)

Over the festive season, everyone is inclined to overindulge. If you have been tucking into the eggnog and gingerbread cookies, you may need to start the New Year with a healthy eating plan that will see you back to your ideal weight in no time at all. The secret to losing weight and keeping it off is to practice healthy eating and exercise regimens rather than fad diets.

Don’t say the ‘D’ word

Diets are awful. The very word fosters dread and when you constrain yourself to a diet, you are more likely to cheat. Diets also get us into the mindset that resources are limited and this encourages binge eating. Instead of using the dreaded ‘D’ word, focus on healthy eating instead. Eat seven helpings of fruit and vegetables every day and drink 8 glasses of water. Filling up on healthy foods will make it less likely that you will require snacks.

Positive affirmation

When you go on a diet, you are focused on all the negative things about your body. You need to focus instead on the things you love about your body. When you catch yourself thinking something negative about yourself, stop and change that thought to something positive.

Have fun

Be nice to yourself, take long baths, play your favorite music, treat yourself to a manicure. When you start to value yourself and feel like you deserve the best, you will start to feed yourself better too.

You like to move it!

Part of having fun and being kind to yourself is exercise. You don’t have to sweat it out in the gym and hate every moment of it – instead you can go for a swim, take a walk with a friend, have a ½ hour dance party at home or do yoga.

I am sure you have all tried a bunch of different diets, weight loss plans and some may have even tried pills to lose weight. At the end of the day, there is no shortcut to weight loss. Studies have shown that fad diets do allow you to lose weight quickly, but you will just put it back on as soon as the diet is over. What you really need is slow, healthy weight loss that is a result of the adoption of healthy eating habits that will become part of your new lifestyle.

Slowly does it

Forget the fast track; ditch the deadlines and simply decide to live a healthy life. When you look back on yourself in a year’s time, you won’t believe the difference. Like all things, drastic changes are probably not something you will be sticking to. Denying yourself all your favorite things and cutting back heavily on your calorie intake is unlikely to render long-term results. Instead, make slow changes and adopt one new habit every month.

Get moving

You have to move more. That doesn’t mean you have to exercises that you hate and which you will never stick to. Instead, find things you enjoy doing and slowly start including them in your daily routine. Take a walk around the block when you get home from work, or walk to the store on the weekend instead of driving. When you stop driving everywhere and start walking or biking, you will soon make it part of your lifestyle.

Do yoga, or play a sport, swim or play with your kids, move into a home with a garden or get a dog; make changes to your lifestyle that slowly get you out and active. It relieves stress, improves health and mobility.

Cut it out

Slowly start to cut out things that you shouldn’t be eating. When you take something out, put something healthy in its place. Replace sugar with stevia and butter with avocadoes. When you find healthy substitutes for foods which aren’t good for you, you don’t feel deprived and you are more likely to stick to your new regimen.

Its all about finding the balance that works for you. You already know what you have to do to live a healthy life; eat well and exercise. Now integrate this new lifestyle slowly so you have time to still enjoy your life and adapt to a healthier way of living.

July 17th, 2013 | Posted by nikki in Blog - (Comments Off on 3 Bad Habits that Lead to Weight Gain)

If you are regularly disappointed by what your scale is saying, it may be time to stop counting calories and start changing your habits. Some behavior leads to binge eating and weight gain and changing these, rather than going on a diet, is the real secret to sustained weight loss.

Drinking alcohol

Alcohol is one of the most calorie-rich things you can consume. If you are having more than one drink a night, stop it! Not only does drinking increase your calorie intake, it also lowers your will power which means you are more likely to get those chicken wings on the way home from the bar. Moderate drinking is fine, but keep it down to one or two drinks a day.

Identify your weak points

Maybe its snacking in front of the TV, or you’re eating continuously while you cook, maybe you let yourself binge when you eat out and you eat out often. Whatever your weak points are, make sure that you identify which behaviors trigger binge eating and change them. Don’t watch so much TV, do something else and institute a rule that says no eating after 7. Don’t snack while you’re cooking. Plan your meals on a Sunday and do all your shopping over the weekend so that you don’t end up at 7pm with no food in the fridge with you too tired to shop and cook. That way you’ll eat less take out.

Get more sleep

More and more studies are confirming the link between obesity and lack of sleep. Getting enough sleep helps your body to stabilize sugar levels, repair and produce the hormones you need to keep an even keel. If you are struggling to fall asleep, try moderate exercise and no snacking after 7!

Diet all you want, but if you just go back to eating the same way when you’ve reached your goal weight, you will never keep off the pounds. Small changes to the habits that make you eat in the first place will ensure that you get that weight off and keep it off. Get moving, get sleeping and good luck!

You work so hard to maintain your weight and you deserve to have a healthy, happy body. Some foods pack a hidden calorie punch that may be sabotaging your best efforts to stay in shape. Here are some foods that are higher in calories than you may have realized.

Dried fruit: Sure it’s healthy, but each portion that you pop is actually half a fruit. While you wouldn’t consider eating 6 peaches in one sitting, you can easily scoff down the equivalent in dried fruit. When you do add dried fruits to your menu, be cognisant of how many you eat. Cut them up and add them to cereals and other dishes and, wherever possible, go for fresh fruit instead; its free of preservatives and will fill you up for longer.

Avocadoes: These precious green gems are really wonderful additions to a healthy diet. They are packed with all sorts of ‘good’ fats, healthy vitamins and wonderful anti-oxidants. However, avocados are high in calories so eat them sliced on a sandwich or in a salad rather than on a chip in guacamole form. Sure, guacamole is healthy, but you will be racking up the calories in no time at all.

Coffees: Lattes and cappuccinos are delicious, and while coffee itself has a negligible number of calories, all that milk, cream and added syrup flavoring will really add to your calorie intake. You can still get your java fix, but opt for drinks with less milk and no creamy toppings.

Salads: So you opt for the salad in a fast food restaurant because you’re awesome like that, but what you don’t realize is that many chain-store salads contain more calories than a burger or fries. Blame the creamy, oily salad dressings and bacon or crumbed chicken toppings for this unfortunate situation. Check caloric values before you order.

Cheese: Sad but true, just a thin slice of cheese the size of a domino can add up to 130 calories and a whopping 11 grams of fat.

Knowing what’s in the food you’re eating will help you to make the right choices to keep you healthy and slim.

June 4th, 2013 | Posted by nikki in Blog - (Comments Off on How to Lose Weight the Healthy Way)

Fad diets and unrealistic expectations have left you feeling like you are never going to get rid of your excess weight, but you can! Let’s return to the basics and get back to the common sense solutions we know work. It’s better to lose the weight a little slower as you’re more likely to keep it off and its healthier too.

Losing weight happens when you burn more calories than you consume. The average women burns 2,000 calories a day and the average man 2,500. This means that you should aim to eat fewer than this in order to lose weight. You can augment weight loss with exercise. You burn most calories when you exercise on an empty stomach (keep hydrated!) and with a high heart rate. Your performance will be negatively affected if you exercise before eating, but it does improve fat burning. You can monitor your heart rate with a heart rate monitor in order to ensure that you are exercising at a level that burns the most calories.

Eat at least seven fruits and veggies a day. These make you feel full and give you all the vitamins and minerals you need to stay healthy. If you are feeling hungry, eat a fruit or veggie and drink a glass of water. Wait for 20 mins and then see if you’re still hungry.

Reduce the amount of salt and starch you eat (that means no more French fries!) This alone will help you to lose a few pounds in your first week as starches and salt make you retain water.

Don’t skip meals. Make every meal a monumental deal. This means no eating on the run or over the sink. Sit down for every meal and chew your food well. Drink water while you are eating. Your stomach takes about 20 minutes to register that its full. If you wolf down a burger and fries in 15 minutes, you’ll end up eating more. If you take your time, you will feel full sooner and eat less.

Small portions – small plates. Using a side plate will mean you take less food, then by the time you have finished eating that portion, your stomach has registered that its full and you won’t eat more than you need to.

Identify times when you are most likely to cheat. If this is at 10am, in the afternoon or after dinner, then find new activities to do during these times to avoid temptation. Don’t throw the whole day away just because you cheated once. If you cheat, go easy on yourself and at least make the rest of the day better.

May 24th, 2013 | Posted by nikki in Blog - (Comments Off on Marathon Race Day Preparation)

Whether you are a beginner runner on a 5km or 10 km run or a seasoned marathon runner, there are many things you need to do to get your body race day ready. Here are some tricks and tips from the experts to help you to do your best run ever.

Carbo loading

While it is essential to load up on carbs on the days leading up to a race, don’t overload your body the night before. You should be getting 65-70% of your calories from carbohydrates before the race. Start three days before the race day and eat regular-sized portions of healthy, whole foods that are high in carbohydrates. Avoid too much pasta the night before. Too many carbs the night before race day will lead to stomach issues and a bad night’s sleep.

High Fiber

While we would always recommend whole foods that are high in fiber, we don’t recommend them just before a run. Running gets the juices flowing and you may find that you need to go to the bathroom more than usual anyway. Eating too much fiber before a race can only encourage this and there aren’t always bathrooms when you need them on a run. Just for the last few days before a race, stick with low-fiber foods.

Don’t get Adventurous

While trying new dishes and restaurants is usually a good idea, steer clear of the unknown just before a race. You can’t risk getting a tummy bug or eating something that doesn’t agree with you. Keep your meals super simple and, where possible, eat at home to ensure that you don’t get sick.

Water, water everywhere

Hydrating isn’t about drinking water before or during the race; it’s a much longer commitment than that. For three days before the race, drink as much water as you can. You should be going to the bathroom far more frequently and, when you do, your urine should be completely clear. If there is any color in your urine, you need to be drinking more!

Geared up

Ensure that your gear is ready and that you have worn this gear before. Even a new running shirt can cause chaffing on race day if you haven’t tried it out. Keep your toe nails short and ensure that you have a groovy race mix on your MP3 player and that your heart rate monitor is set.

What you eat and drink before race day could make the difference between the best run of your life and the worst. Make sure you have enough energy, are well hydrated and avoid the ‘runner’s runs’ by using common sense and sticking to the things you know.